U.S. Agency for International Development workers were allowed to briefly reenter the headquarters in Washington on Thursday to collect their personal belongings and clear out their desks, a day after President Donald Trump's administration said it was cutting more than 90% of the agency's aid contracts.

Trump ordered a 90-day pause on all foreign aid in January to conduct a sweeping review to ensure that all the projects funded with U.S. taxpayer money were aligned with his "America First" policy.

The order, and ensuing stop work orders, threw USAID into turmoil, halting the agency's operations around the world, jeopardizing the delivery of life-saving food and medical aid and throwing global humanitarian relief efforts into chaos.

Trump tasked billionaire and adviser Elon Musk with dismantling USAID as part of an unprecedented push to shrink the federal government over what both say is wasteful spending and abuse of funds.

Thousands of staff were put on leave and contractors terminated, with workers barred from entering the agency's headquarters in downtown Washington. The majority of those put on leave are not expected to be reinstated.

USAID workers left the agency headquarters on Thursday carrying cardboard boxes of personal items to applause and cheers from about 80 people, a mix of fellow workers and members of the public who had come to show their support.

An 8-year-old girl whose father was inside the building clearing out his cubicle after 30 years at USAID, held up a handmade sign that read: "I'm proud of you Daddy."

In her other hand she clutched a U.S. flag. Her mother, standing next to her under an umbrella to shield from a steady drizzle, said she did not want her daughter or family to be identified out of fears of retribution.

"We are still processing being called criminals for serving our country for 30 years," she said.

Angela Stephens, 61, who has worked at USAID in its communications department since 2008, said it was an emotional and sad day for employees there.

"There is always change when a new administration comes in. What we didn't expect was the entire dissolution of our agency. I don't know what I'm going to do next," Stephens said.